Create an instance of type from type

Create an instance of type from type.vala

class Customer: Object {
    private string _firstName;
    private string _surname;

    public string firstName {
        set { _firstName = value; prin(_firstName); }
    }
    public string surName {
        set { _surname = value; prin(_surname); }
    }
}

T sas<T>(Type type){
    if (type.is_object()){
        var z = Object.new(type);
        return z;   
    } else {
        T t = 0;
        return t;
    }
}

void main() {
    Customer cust = sas(typeof(Customer));
    cust.firstName = "sus";
    cust.surName = "ses";

    int a = sas(typeof(int));
    prin(a);
}

I think there's an error in line 16:

// `new` is a Vala keyword
var z = Object.@new(type);